# XVII: The Flight explained — Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl > Chapter companion for Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Linda Brent. ## What happens Linda Brent, fearing that Dr. Flint will take her children to the plantation to secure his hold over her, resolves to run away. She waits until midnight, prays fervently, and escapes through a window into the dark, rainy night. She briefly stops at her grandmother's house but does not see her, speaking only to Sally, who warns her of the danger but ultimately supports her decision. Linda bids a tearful farewell to her sleeping children, Benny and Ellen, and goes into hiding. The next day, Dr. Flint searches for her, posts a reward advertisement, and threatens severe punishment for anyone who helped her. Her grandmother is forced to take responsibility for the children to keep them from being taken. ## Themes in this chapter ### Resistance and Escape Linda's flight is a direct act of resistance against Dr. Flint's control, risking everything for the chance to protect her children and secure freedom. ### Motherhood and Family Separation Linda's decision to flee is driven by her love for her children and her fear that they will be used to enslave her further, highlighting the painful choices enslaved mothers faced. ### Dehumanization and Identity The reward advertisement reduces Linda to a set of physical traits and a monetary value, illustrating the dehumanizing nature of slavery. ## Character check-ins ### Linda Brent Linda makes the agonizing decision to flee, leaving her children behind to prevent Dr. Flint from using them to control her. ### Dr. Flint Dr. Flint searches for Linda, posts a reward for her capture, and threatens violence against anyone who aided her. ### Grandmother Linda's grandmother is deeply distressed by the flight and is forced to take responsibility for the children to keep them from Dr. Flint. ### Benjamin Benny is one of Linda's children; she kisses him goodbye as he sleeps before her escape. ### Ellen Ellen is Linda's baby daughter; Linda bids her a tearful farewell before fleeing. ### Sally Sally is a faithful friend who warns Linda of the danger but ultimately supports her decision to run. ## Key lines > I remembered the grief this step would bring upon my dear old grandmother, and nothing less than the freedom of my children would have induced me to disregard her advice. Linda knew her escape would cause her grandmother great sorrow, but only the hope of securing her children's freedom could make her go against her grandmother's wishes. _Linda's internal conflict between family loyalty and maternal duty._ > I was about to risk everything on the throw of a die; and if I failed, O what would become of me and my poor children? Linda felt she was gambling with her and her children's futures, aware that failure would bring terrible consequences. _The high stakes of Linda's decision to flee._ > Poor little ones! fatherless and motherless! Memories of their father came over me. He wanted to be kind to them; but they were not all to him, as they were to my womanly heart. Linda grieves that her children will be left without parents, reflecting on how their father, though well-meaning, could not love them as deeply as she does. _Linda's poignant reflection on her children's vulnerability and her own maternal bond._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters/xvii-the-flight - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/incidents_in_the_life_of_a_slave_girl_se/chapters